Slog
News & ArtsThursday, April 29, 2010
Religion The Pope Is Really Very Seriously Thinking About Maybe Someday Kinda Sorta Apologizing To All Those Kids His Priests Raped (Some With His Help)
Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Apr 29, 2010 at 6:35 PM
Vatican: Pope may apologize for abuse by priestsPope Benedict XVI may issue a mea culpa for the church's handling of clerical sexual abuse cases when he attends a meeting of the world's clergy in June, the Vatican official in charge of handling abuse cases said.
He may apologize? You mean he hasn't already? And now that someone brought it to his attention that he hasn't quite got around to apologizing yet, the pope is hesitating? He's got to mull this apology thing over for a bit? And it turns out he's not really even thinking about apologizing to the children who were raped for the rapes, but only apologizing for the church's "handling of clerical sexual abuse cases"?
Words fail. So let's have a song:
Thanks to Slog tipper Gina for the song.
1
Hey, Doorknob Danny, you haven't posted a story about obese women in a while. When can we expect one?
To your credit, you've posted a satisfactory number of stories on pitbulls and youth pastors of late.
To your credit, you've posted a satisfactory number of stories on pitbulls and youth pastors of late.
2
At this point, the important thing is whether it's still going on and what oversight mechanisms have been put in place.
6
Tim Minchin is awesome. I'd also recommend "Ten Foot Cock and a Few Hundred Virgins," which he introduces as "a song about anal sex and God."
7
"Oh, gee, I'm really sorry" isn't going to repair these victims' lives. How about some hard time for this douchewad and his cronies?
10
It's kinda nice that this go-around the media and the public are still jumping on the Catholic Church about this issue. Will something solid finally be done? I'm still unsure.
14
That was sooooooooo catchy
FUCK THE MOTHERFUCKER FUCK THE MOTHERFUCKER. That shit is going on my ipod right now.
FUCK THE MOTHERFUCKER FUCK THE MOTHERFUCKER. That shit is going on my ipod right now.
15
Tim Minchin is one hilarious motherfucker. Also recommended - "If I Didn't Have You" and (less hilarious but still awesome) "White Wine in the Sun".
16
He WASN'T fucking his Mother! It's the children he's been fucking! He's NOT 'A Mother Fucker" He's "A Kiddy Fucker". Get the story right.
18
The reason the Pope hasn't apologized (and chances are, will not apologize) is because the Pope is meant to be infallible. Apologizing is an admission of guilt, something the Pope will never do.
At least not this fucked up Pope.
At least not this fucked up Pope.
19
I doubt if the Church ever apologized for the Inquisition, since Ratzinger was the head of the modern-day version of the Inquisition.
22
@18: My understanding is the Pope is only infalliable when he writes certain kinds of screeds that are of particular doctrinal import.
Of course, I'm just a godless heathen, so I could be wrong.
Of course, I'm just a godless heathen, so I could be wrong.
23
This is brilliant! I didn't think it was possible to succinctly and intelligently lay out the problem with the Pope while still including the amount of profanity that this case calls for, but this song succeeds admirably. And the animation is the icing on the hilarious cake.
24
Here's a link to a transcription of the lyrics in case you want to sing along. http://skepchick.org/blog/2010/04/tim-mi…
26
If you privileged liberal creeps are really concerned about religious abuse of power by pedophiles then you'd be focused on ISLAM, a religion who's messiah advocated child molestation in his own doctrines. Child rape and incest is prominent in the islamic world to degrees that make the catholic fiasco look like media hooplah equivalent to jerry springer. I was gonna give links but i'm tired. I assume you cats are sharp enough to find something totally fucking obvious.
28
@26: Hi, you're obviously retarded, so I'm going to lay this out for you as simply as possible.
a) There is no central single Muslim authority the way there is for Catholics for us to focus on.
b) Generally speaking devout Muslims don't give a shit what us white liberals say and/or think.
c) We already do criticize and publicize Honor Killings, etc., etc. when they happen on our turf.
In summary: you don't know what the fuck you are talking about so keep your idiotic mouth/keyboard shut.
a) There is no central single Muslim authority the way there is for Catholics for us to focus on.
b) Generally speaking devout Muslims don't give a shit what us white liberals say and/or think.
c) We already do criticize and publicize Honor Killings, etc., etc. when they happen on our turf.
In summary: you don't know what the fuck you are talking about so keep your idiotic mouth/keyboard shut.
30
@ 22 - No, you're right. Actually, your point doesn't go far enough - papal infallibility only extends to matters of faith, not doctrine. It's very narrow. Papal infallibility extends to something like "Jesus is the son of god" and "Mary was immaculately conceived." It doesn't even extend to "The death penalty is wrong" or "Don't use condoms."
The doctrine of papal infallibility aside, though, 18 makes a good point. If the pope apologizes, it's an admission of wrongdoing, something which the Vatican is likely to see as casting doubt on the entire structure of the church. Which is absurd - confidence in the church has already been shattered by this counsel. An apology and taking responsibility is the only way to begin to repair it.
The doctrine of papal infallibility aside, though, 18 makes a good point. If the pope apologizes, it's an admission of wrongdoing, something which the Vatican is likely to see as casting doubt on the entire structure of the church. Which is absurd - confidence in the church has already been shattered by this counsel. An apology and taking responsibility is the only way to begin to repair it.
31
I apologize in ADVANCE for wishing the pope would die a slow, painful, sexually humiliating death. But I'm just nice like that.
32
Not a RC, just one of those damned heritics, but there seems to be some confusion to the whole papal infallibility.
Papal infallibility is restricted to statements made ex cathedra, those would be, statements where the pope explicity invokes infallibility. Since the doctrine of papal infallibility was affirmed in 1870, I'm aware of only one such pronouncement: the direct assumption of Mary into heaven and that was proclaimed in 1950. Although, this " infallibility" broadly affirms that the RC church, in spite of its errors and very checkered history, has been preserved from making any fundamental mistakes that would threaten their followers salvation.
But, what do I know? I tend to see religion as a human response to "More" and hence why it evolves/changes or fades. The concept of something or someone being infallible seems to be an attempt to make sense of a changing world, while trying to hold the faithful captive.
Papal infallibility is restricted to statements made ex cathedra, those would be, statements where the pope explicity invokes infallibility. Since the doctrine of papal infallibility was affirmed in 1870, I'm aware of only one such pronouncement: the direct assumption of Mary into heaven and that was proclaimed in 1950. Although, this " infallibility" broadly affirms that the RC church, in spite of its errors and very checkered history, has been preserved from making any fundamental mistakes that would threaten their followers salvation.
But, what do I know? I tend to see religion as a human response to "More" and hence why it evolves/changes or fades. The concept of something or someone being infallible seems to be an attempt to make sense of a changing world, while trying to hold the faithful captive.
33
That stupid fucking song is totally fucking brilliant! I think I'll burn it to DVD and hand out copies in front of the church on Sunday. Needs a nice cover... How about, "Tribute To The Pope?"
35
Can just see the papers: "Pope dies in agony, sodomised to death by men he trusted."
And as a matter of fact, ISLAM does not promote incest or pedophilia. Country-specific cultural tendencies lead to that. Much like the various faiths floating around the world, powerful men (in this case, almost entirely men) in the countries where Islam is incredibly entrenched and nobody is educated enough to THINK about the concept of their spiritual leader loading them a load of tripe for political advancement.
Which is kinda like what happens in the Bible Belt of America, but as a friend of mine from Persian (not Iraq and/or Iran, PERSIA, damn your hides) once mentioned to me, the only difference between 'Western' religion and 'Muslim' religion is we've kept our crazy fuckers away from the guns!
And as a matter of fact, ISLAM does not promote incest or pedophilia. Country-specific cultural tendencies lead to that. Much like the various faiths floating around the world, powerful men (in this case, almost entirely men) in the countries where Islam is incredibly entrenched and nobody is educated enough to THINK about the concept of their spiritual leader loading them a load of tripe for political advancement.
Which is kinda like what happens in the Bible Belt of America, but as a friend of mine from Persian (not Iraq and/or Iran, PERSIA, damn your hides) once mentioned to me, the only difference between 'Western' religion and 'Muslim' religion is we've kept our crazy fuckers away from the guns!
36
The pope already apologized, at least for the Irish cases:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0320/abuse.h…
What he left out of this apology was any admission of fault on the part of the church for the cover ups of the cases. Actually admitting that they were all complicit in letting the abuse continue would be a huge step for the church - but I doubt we'll get a sincere apology.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0320/abuse.h…
What he left out of this apology was any admission of fault on the part of the church for the cover ups of the cases. Actually admitting that they were all complicit in letting the abuse continue would be a huge step for the church - but I doubt we'll get a sincere apology.
37
@26 and 29 If all you can say is that we should pick on another religion then you do not read solg very much.
Tim Minchin answers your objections in the song and here are the rest of the lyrics too:
"And if you look into your motherfucking heart and tell me true
If this motherfucking stupid fucking song offended you
With its filthy fucking language and it’s fucking disrespect
If it made you feel angry, go ahead and write a letter
But if you find me more offensive than the fucking possibility
That the Pope protected priests when they were getting fucking fiddly
Then listen to me, motherfucker, this here is a fact:
You are just as morally misguided as that motherfucking
Power-hungry, self-aggrandized bigot in the stupid fucking hat"
http://skepchick.org/blog/2010/04/tim-mi…
I love the fact that the Vatican lacks the influnce to ban this video. All they can do is sit there powerless and take it.
Tim Minchin answers your objections in the song and here are the rest of the lyrics too:
"And if you look into your motherfucking heart and tell me true
If this motherfucking stupid fucking song offended you
With its filthy fucking language and it’s fucking disrespect
If it made you feel angry, go ahead and write a letter
But if you find me more offensive than the fucking possibility
That the Pope protected priests when they were getting fucking fiddly
Then listen to me, motherfucker, this here is a fact:
You are just as morally misguided as that motherfucking
Power-hungry, self-aggrandized bigot in the stupid fucking hat"
http://skepchick.org/blog/2010/04/tim-mi…
I love the fact that the Vatican lacks the influnce to ban this video. All they can do is sit there powerless and take it.
38
I am not suckered into the concept that priests are better or holier, than me. I do not go to confession. I geuss, I am what is called a cafeteria Catholic. I do like the time at Mass that is afforded, when I think of the past week and how I could have done better in my life. I do believe in praying for souls; both, lost and gone; more for those lost. There is too much greed and hate in the world. I have never been abused by a priest, but I am gay. The priests that I have had the opporunity to know, were good men. I have, however; encountered very domineering priests with a nasty chip on their shoulder. These will go to somewhere other than heaven, until they resolve their issues. Pergatory? I think Cromwell and Henry VIII successfully proved that this concept is not founded in scripture. Whatever, these men are inconsequential in my life. I have seen newly ordained priests at gay pride festivals, incognito.
I am rambling. The point is: there are good priests out there, and alot of really, really bad ones. Take direction from the good ones!
I am rambling. The point is: there are good priests out there, and alot of really, really bad ones. Take direction from the good ones!
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